"I think that ought to be the No. 1 issue on the agenda," Durbin, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told "Morning Joe," adding that his state of Illinois was a victim of Russian hacks, and state officials remain concerned.

"It was the Illinois voter file that the Russians got into. Thank goodness we don't believe they changed any results, or had direct impact on the outcome of any election, but they were trying their best to do that," he said.

"I've met with our state board of elections. They're very concerned about the next round and their vulnerability. So is the president of the United States of America going to confront the Russian leader about this attempt to meddle into our election, into my voter file in my state of Illinois?" he continued.

"So far he's shown no interest in this and really doesn't take it seriously. And I worry about that . . . This was a day of cyber infamy when the Russians attacked our electoral systems, and the president ought to take it seriously," Durbin said.

Durbin compared Putin to Trump, saying "he is gifted in his knowledge of history. Our president is not. He certainly knows how to meet with foreign leaders and to push his agenda.

"Our president has limited experience in that. He knows the intelligence agencies of Russia, since he was a member of the KGB for a period of time. Our president tends to deride his own intelligence actions and their findings."

The senator also slammed Putin, saying he "suffers from a form of megalomania."

"He is trying to restore a Soviet empire which is long gone in history . . . it is really up to the United States to stand up to this tyrant," Durbin added.